Radicchio salad Recipe

It’s late June, and yet here I am writing out a radicchio salad recipe with decidedly not very summer-like ingredients. But, in my defense, it has yet to feel fully like summer in Los Angeles. Case in point- while I’m certainly seeing more summery produce at the market, like peaches, plums and cherries, I’m also still very much seeing the radicchio, fennel and orange that I use to make this salad. Which I’m ok with because I could honestly eat this salad any time of year. Plus, it’s very adaptable, so even if an ingredient or two isn’t currently available, there are still other ways to bring this recipe to life no matter what season you’re in. For example, we had a chopped salad (that I’m trying to re-create because it was so good) recently at a spot in Brooklyn and it had many of the same ingredients of my salad recipe today but also included things like celery, chopped almonds and dates. My point being- don’t worry too much about seasonal constraints when it comes to this salad, and instead use this recipe as a bit of a guideline and a base to build a salad with what you’ve got on hand and whatever bounty the season is giving you at the moment. I promise it will all come together beautifully thanks to the simple dressing and the results will be bright, crisp and refreshing.

Below, I’m sharing the full recipe for this radicchio salad and citrus dressing, plus some riffs to adapt this salad to whatever season you’re in. It’s incredibly easy to make, can be enjoyed on it’s own or pairs beautifully with everything from rich comfort foods to creamy soups and grilled meats, and it is a wonderful balance of sweet, zesty, bitter and bright flavors.

BUT FIRST…WHAT IS RADICCHIO?!

Ok, you’re probably thinking. What a silly question?! Of course we all know what radicchio is. Or do we??! Many people actually believe it is a type of cabbage or part of the cabbage family and it, in fact, is very much not. So, before we get into the salad, let’s get this clarified. Radicchio, sometimes referred to as Italian chicory because of it’s popularity in Italian cuisine, is actually a member of the chicory family, and while the name ‘radicchio’ refers to all types of chicory that grow in a tight ball, it’s what we (at least here in the United States) typically call one of the more common types of radicchio, Rosso di Chioggia. This is the radicchio you probably know (and hopefully love) with it’s beautiful reddish purple leaves with white veining and it’s bright, bitter and slightly spicy taste and it also happens to be the radicchio we’re using for today’s salad recipe. However, there are a total of 5 principle varieties and while there are definitely similarities among them they do each vary slightly in color, taste and texture.

WHAT DOES RADICCHIO TASTE LIKE + WHAT TO PAIR WITH IT

Radicchio is known for it’s distinctively bitter flavor. It can be sharp and biting and even have a bit of a peppery zest to it. But the beautiful thing about that is that the bitterness is perfect for balancing out rich and heavy ingredients like bleu cheese, bacon and nuts and zesty flavors like citrus and a vinaigrette dressing. It also pairs well with other crunchy, bitter vegetables like endives, shaved brussel sprouts and fennel (like in today’s salad recipe). You can easily sweeten up the bitterness with things like fruit and dates, and add some brightness with fresh herbs.

INGREDIENTS YOU NEED FOR THIS RADICCHIO SALAD

This salad is made with just a few simple, but fresh, ingredients and a bright homemade dressing. As with any dish with minimal ingredients, less ingredients means higher quality, so pick up what you can from your local farm stand, farmer’s market or specialty shop.

IN THE SALAD

RADICCHIO- The salad base is, of course, radicchio. When looking for radicchio to use, I look for ones that are a tight, medium-sized head with minimal wilting. When prepping the radicchio, I personally always discard (into my compost bin) the first few outer leaves and then use what remains, but feel free to use the outer leaves if they look fresh and vibrant enough. Then you can either pull apart the radicchio leaves or thinly slice the head or even use a mandolin for a thin shaved situation (all options are great, just totally depends on your preference, but I personally like slicing it or using the mandolin, like I did for the photos in this post, as I find it makes the overall salad eating experience more enjoyable and allows the flavor to be more evenly distributed across the whole salad).

FENNEL- For a nice fresh crunch and a touch of licorice sweetness that compliments the radicchio and orange nicely

HERBS- A big handful of fresh herbs, roughly chopped- I like to use parsley, dill and/or mint, or a mix of all three to add as much herbacious freshness as I can to the overall flavor profile

CASTELVETRANO OLIVES- buttery olives add a rich and creamy texture to the salad

ORANGES- for a bright and fresh bit of zest; I like cara cara oranges but any kind will do; you can also use apple or pear (for more of a fresh, crisp bite), dates (for extra sweetness) or peaches or apricots in the summertime and if you still really want to use oranges no matter what time of year it you can use mandarin oranges and then just use the juice from the can in place of the orange juice for the dressing.

PISTACHIOS- for extra crunch; toasted almonds, walnuts or hazelnuts also work well

FLAKY SALT + GROUND PEPPER- keep it simple when it comes to seasoning; a sprinkle of sumac or za’atar would also be delicious, though, if you want even more flavor

IN THE DRESSING

EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL- I like something that is bright, rich and smooth, but any high quality olive oil will do

WHITE BALSAMIC VINEGAR- white balsamic is a bit smoother and more mild and doesn’t have quite the bite to it that regular balsamic does and it’s sweetness pairs nicely with the citrus to balance out the bitter radicchio; you can also use rosé balsamic or red or white wine vinegar (I would just add extra honey if you’re doing a non-balsamic vinegar)

ORANGE ZEST + JUICE- To make the dressing extra sweet and zesty; I first zest the orange then juice it, however, you can always skip the zest and use store bought orange juice as a time saving short cut; you can also use lemon juice and zest instead

GRAINY DIJON MUSTARD- For additional flavor and texture; I love the way grainy mustard tastes in this salad, but a honey dijon or regular dijon mustard also work well

HONEY- To help cut the bitterness of the radicchio and, I use just a touch of honey in the dressing as I find it pairs nicely with the orange and pistachios; feel free to add more or less, depending on your taste preferences

HOW TO MAKE THIS RADICCHIO SALAD

This salad couldn’t be more simple to make with not much prep involved outside of a bit of chopping and, of course, whisking up the dressing.

MAKE THE DRESSING- Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, mustard, honey and orange zest until everything is well combined. Set aside.

PREPARE THE INGREDIENTS- Separate the radicchio leaves or thinly slice the head of radicchio, either with a knife or a mandolin (totally your preference), thinly slice the fennel (you can even use a mandolin for extra thin slices), give the olives and herbs a rough chop, peel and slice the orange.

ASSEMBLE THE SALAD- Layer the radicchio and fennel in a serving bowl. Then add the olives, the herbs, the orange slices and sprinkle the pistachios over the top.

SERVE THE SALAD- Right before you’re ready to serve the salad, drizzle the dressing evenly across the top. Sprinkle generously with salt and fresh ground pepper and enjoy immediately. You can prep the salad a bit ahead (say at the beginning of a dinner party), but wait to top it with the dressing just until you’re ready to serve it.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH RADICCHIO SALAD

You can absolutely enjoy this salad all on it’s own, as a light lunch or dinner, but if you want to make it a whole meal, it makes a wonderful side and pairs well with many things, from simple weeknight supper dishes to fancy holiday feasts.

Try it with salmon, chicken, pork chops, ribs or steak. It goes well with dishes with things like farro and other hearty grains. And, of course, it goes well with Italian pastas and dishes.

It’s also quite wonderful for a soup and salad night with things like French onion soup, a chicken soup, butternut squash soup and beef and barley, just to name a few.

BECAUSE FOOD TASTES BETTER WHEN IT’S SHARED WITH OTHERS…

If you make this salad recipe, please snap a photo and share it, tagging me on INSTAGRAM or PINTEREST so I can see. Truly nothing makes me happier than when I see others making and enjoying my recipes!

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ITEMS + INGREDIENTS FEATURED IN/NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE